UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
DAVID HASTINGS, OF DEERFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. CONSTRUCTION OF BOOT-TREES.
Specification of Letters Patent No. 514, dated December 15, 1837.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, David Hastings, of Deerfield, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful improvement common boot-trees for the purpose of enlarging and contracting the same, so as to have the boot more easily and perfectly fitted to it by means of a plate of iron or other metal attached to each side of said tree, as hereinafter described.
The boot-tree in common use, consists of three parts or pieces--the front piece, the back piece, and the slide or middle piece, which is formed between the other two, to strain them apart. For these I claim nothing, but the following is a full and exact description of my improvement.
In place of the said slide or middle piece of the tree, two pieces of wood A A which, put together, shall be of the form and size of the said slide, or they will be as if the said slide were sawed in two, lengthwise, in the center. Two plates of iron B B are made, (or of other metal) of nearly the length of the boot-tree, and about three inches wide, and so molded or shaped as to fit the two sides, (right and left) of the tree. One of these plates is firmly screwed to the outer edge of each portion of the center piece, or slide sawed in two in such form as that when the tree is put together the edge of each plate extends on to the front piece of the tree about three eighths of an inch, and onto the back piece of the tree about two inches and five eighths or the rest of the plate. And the two middle pieces, or slide sawed in two, as aforesaid, are hung together with butts C C in the center of the tree. The edges of the plates are filed thin.
In order to give my said improvement its best operation, I will describe the tumbler D, a part of the boot tree now in use and will direct the operation of it, in application to my improvement, though for the article itself and its use I claim no right of patent. This tumbler is a piece of iron five eighths of an inch square, and bent so as nearly to form a right angle, one limb thereof being longer than the other, and the two, measuring about four inches in length. The said tumbler is fastened into the back piece of the tree near its center, and is hung on a pin which passes through the said back piece and through the shorter limb of the tumbler near the end thereof. The inner part of the tumbler is in form of a curve and not of an angle, and the tumbler is operated on by a screw E running down the back piece of the tree, and striking the inner part of said tumbler, which forces the longest limb of it downward and this separates the main piece of the tree and gives a sufficient strain to the boot in which it may be inserted.
The object of the improvement, is to save the use of wedges in the common tree, and to cover the space which would occur by the spread of the front and back part of the tree, when operated upon by means of the screw and tumbler aforesaid. The iron sides are designed to cover the spaces aforesaid. Another subject of the improvement, is to save labor in treeing the boot, and also to make a smooth surface for finishing off the boot.
The operation of said boot tree is in the following manner, to wit, put the foot and front part of the tree into the boot, then put in the slide or wedge to which the iron sides aforesaid are attached extending to the rear. Then insert the back part of the tree between the iron sides, then by means of the screw and tumbler and rod before described, you throw apart the back and front part of the tree, the slide pressing against the front part of the tree, and the iron sides attached to the slide, will cover the space made by the separating of the front and back parts of the tree.
References: A, A, the two pieces of wood forming the slide; B, B, the iron sides attached to the sides or edges of the slide, and claimed as an improvement; C, C, the butts holding together the middle pieces or slide, claimed as an improvement; D, the tumbler; E, the screw.
What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--
The slide divided longitudinally and connected together with the butts, and the iron plates attached to the said sides in manner before described.
DAVID HASTINGS.
Witnesses: Albion Brabstard, Geo. Grennel, Jr.
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